The Lost House by Melissa Larsen was a challenging book to wade through (it did help my insomnia). The author brought the setting to life with her vivid depictions. Unfortunately, that is the best part of the book. The writing was awkward, and the story was convoluted. The characters were unlikeable. Agnes has a leg injury which we get to hear about frequently. Yet, Agnes continued to abuse her body, which caused more pain which seemed to surprise her (I wanted to tell her to stop whining). I did not like her continual pill popping (Agnes is hooked on pain pills too). The story moved at a glacial pace (ice freezes faster). The mystery is one that can be solved early on in the book which was disappointing. There is minimal suspense and action (the story needed action desperately). The insta-love relationship was unnecessary. It did not add anything to the story (just had me rolling my eyes). The reveal (when we finally got there) was lackluster (talk about a letdown) and bland (I believe a certain shows slop has more flavor). I was very happy to turn the last page, but I was left with unanswered questions. The Lost House felt like a rough draft instead of a completed novel.

A dark winter in Iceland is a great setting for a thriller and a perfect read for cold January (we even got our first snow the day I read it!)

The Lost House has an interesting premise with two mysteries tied in one. While I felt invested in the story, I did find it to be a slower reader and felt anxious to get to the action. Revelations happen sporadically until the final chapters when all is explained. I had a guess in my mind for the twist about 3/4 through, but still enjoyed reading how it all played out.

If you are a fan of Nordic noir or just looking for an icy read this winter, The Lost House is available 1-14-25.

⭐️⭐️⭐️.5

Thank you to NetGalley and Minotaur Books for the advanced digital copy in exchange for my honest review.

Melissa Larsen’s The Lost House is a masterful blend of chilling suspense and emotional depth that left me utterly spellbound. Set against the hauntingly beautiful but unforgiving Icelandic winter, the novel unravels decades-old secrets through Agnes’s desperate search for redemption and truth. Larsen’s atmospheric prose draws you into the icy grip of Bifröst, where every character brims with suspicion and every revelation feels like a punch to the gut. With its heart-stopping twists and deeply human exploration of guilt, family, and survival, this razor-sharp thriller grips you from the first page and doesn’t let go. A must-read for anyone craving a story as dark and gripping as the long Icelandic nights.

This was advertised as a atmospheric, chilling thriller. 40 years in Bifrost, Norway ago a mother and baby are found murdered and buried in the snow. It was assumed that the husband did it, but he was never arrested. He fled to California with his son. His son eventually marries and has a daughter named Agnes. Agnes is very close to her grandfather, and when he passes, she decides to look into the case to clear his name. She goes to Bifrost to meet Nora Carver, a successful true crime podcaster who wants to discuss the case with Agnes. As soon as Agnes arrives a local girl goes missing.

This sounded right up my alley! There is a dual timeline, and the atmosphere really did add "chill" to the story. However, that is where it ended for me. It was a very slow start, and I did not feel that it ever really picked up. I usually like slow burn, dark Nordic mysteries but this fell flat for me. It didn't help that I figured out the killer right away. And the "twist" was not unexpected or surprising. There was so much going on with Agnes- between her love life, the new love interest, the accident she was recovering from (which the author presents very vague in the beginning, and it felt like it would tie into the plot- but it did not), and her amateur investigation. It all got rather jumbled, and I felt if the focus had been the investigation it would have been a better story. There was not a lot of tension or suspense in the story which added to the slow pace.

I enjoyed the character of Nora, and felt the podcast angle was a fun angle. There are other characters in the story that I wish I knew what happened to them- but the story seems to end abruptly and a little disjarred. I still don't know what the lost house is, or what it refers to!!

This is only my opinion. Many others truly enjoyed this story, so please check out those reviews!

Thank you NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for the ARC. This is my honest and voluntary review.

I read this entire book cover to cover yesterday while sitting in my apartment in Los Angeles waiting to hear if I'd have to evacuate due to the fires raging in the city so first of all I have to say thank you, Melissa Larsen, for taking my mind off of that for a little while. In fact it was especially appreciated to be able to lose myself in the frozen wonderland of Iceland while the smoke blotted out the sun outside. Now that's escapist fiction, baby.

But outside of my particular reasons for appreciating it this was just a good thriller, and one of the surprisingly rare ones built around a central conceit of a podcast in progress that actually make good use of the concept. I have a couple of quibbles with the Big Reveal, but nothing really bugged me enough to bother laying them out here. Neat idea, neat setting, capably written. Four stars, baby.

My thanks to Minotaur Books and NetGalley for the ARC, and to Melissa Larsen again for the distraction on a tough day.

Thanks to NetGalley & St. Martin's Press for a chance to read this one early.

Was approved for this book at the right time, we don't get snow here much but when we do it's an all day blizzard, so I set out to read this so I could get a "little" taste of the setting of the book! Thank god it's not as cold as it is there but it just just enough so when i got chills i had no idea if it was from the book or the atmosphere! This was a really good read, spent about half a day on it, felt like it was a bit of a slower read at first but not in a bad way. More because I didn't wanna miss anything with all the facts about the two cases. Really enjoyed the FMC's POV, thought i would be more annoyed with her with the drug abuse but thankfully it didn't take up too much of the book, loved her joining the interviews with Nora, it really came through with the suspense not knowing what she was going to find out next and having her distracting the characters with looking just like Marie. I did NOT guess the plot So that's a plus, if you can get one passed me, I always have a little more respect for you in the end! I will be looking out for more from this Author in the future!

Agnes had a tragic family history. When her grandmother was young she was murdered along with her baby girl. Agnes has gone to her home country of Iceland to work with a podcaster who is using the story for a podcast of unsolved mysteries. At the time of the murders it was believed by many in the community to have been the grandfather of Agnes who killed his wife and baby. Agnes is out to disprove this theory. This story entwines with a girl who has recently gone missing in the town. Very atmospheric and draws you in with it's descriptions of the all engulfing cold and snow.
The book is slow paced with a lot of history and characters to sift through, overall not a bad read but somewhat predictable.

I really enjoyed this mystery from Melissa Larsen. It was very well-written and she did a great job of making you feel like you were in Iceland. The characters were interesting and held my attention from the beginning. I look forward to reading more by Her.

A man is accused of brutally murdering his wife and small daughter. Many years later, Agnes travels to Iceland to clear her grandfather's name after his death. Shortly after she arrives, a local girl goes missing. What is the connection?

I do not like to read stories about children dying, but this book did not focus heavily on this aspect. Instead, it focused on the past and present investigation and how much a person will do to protect their family. This is more of a slow burn mystery, and the who done it was pretty obvious to me, but the cold and ice setting of Iceland was very atmospheric. The setting, along with the unreliable narrator, made for a great read.

Thank you to NetGalley and Minotaur Books for the advanced reader copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

This book is the perfect mystery to read in the winter as it takes place in Iceland during the winter. Agnes, our main character's grandmother and aunt were found murdered forty years ago and her grandfather was accused of their murders. Her grandfather and father, who was just nine at the time, fled to the United States. Forty years later, Agnes is contacted by Nora, who is a true crime podcaster doing a story on the murders and Agnes agrees to be interviewed for the podcast and flies to Iceland for the podcast. A few days before she arrives, another young woman, Asa, disappears from a party and people are searching for her. The story focuses on trying to find Asa while Agnes also tries to prove her grandfather innocent of the murders. I really enjoyed the mystery, and I think it is the perfect winter read.

Melissa Larsen’s The Lost House is an atmospheric and gripping thriller that masterfully blends family secrets, true crime, and a chilling murder mystery set against the stark and unforgiving backdrop of Iceland. With its icy terrain and razor-sharp twists, this novel delivers an enthralling tale of redemption, deception, and survival.

At the center of the story is Agnes, a young woman haunted by her family’s dark legacy. Her journey to clear her grandfather’s name brings her to the eerie and isolated town of Bifröst, where old wounds and suspicions fester. Larsen weaves a compelling narrative that not only explores the gruesome, unsolved murders from forty years ago but also throws in the mysterious disappearance of a local girl to keep readers guessing. The tension builds steadily, with each revelation more shocking than the last, as Agnes and true crime podcaster Nora uncover secrets that threaten to upend everything they thought they knew.

The novel’s greatest strength lies in its setting. Larsen paints a vivid portrait of the Icelandic winter, a stark and merciless landscape that mirrors the cold, sinister secrets buried within the town. The writing is immersive, and the twists are relentless, making it nearly impossible to put the book down. Agnes is a flawed yet relatable protagonist whose determination and vulnerability anchor the story, even as the layers of her family’s dark history unfold.

While the pacing is strong for the most part, the book occasionally falters under the weight of its many threads, leaving some subplots less developed than others. However, the immersive setting and jaw-dropping twists more than make up for these minor shortcomings.

The Lost House is a chilling, well-crafted thriller that will appeal to fans of atmospheric mysteries and complex family sagas. With its vivid descriptions, layered characters, and pulse-pounding suspense, Larsen delivers a story that lingers long after the final page.

The Lost House by Melissa Larsen is about a woman, Agnes, who visits the scene of her grandmother and aunt’s murders forty years ago in order to find the truth about her grandfather. Did he murder them as everyone thinks? The incentive for the visit is a true crime podcaster visiting the area for a new series who wants the point of view of a relative of the case- Agnes.

This book moved quickly and had several twists throughout. I would have liked more details and wrap up at the end. I think fans of Listen for the Lie or None of This is True would enjoy this for the podcasting theme.

This is one of the most atmospheric thrillers (or novels) I've read in a long time and Iceland acts as one of the main characters, moody, enticing, and chilling (no pun intended). I enjoyed the interwined mysteries, the complicated main characters and all the twists toward the end. Highly recommend!

The Lost House by Melissa Larsen is a book with two storylines that converge into one. It’s a mystery of sorts that takes place in Iceland. The story centers around Agnes and the belief that her grandfather had killed her grandmother and infant aunt many years prior. Agnes leaves California and goes to Iceland after the death of her beloved grandfather to learn the truth. Everyone there believes he is guilty of the crime but Agnes loved him and just doesn’t see him doing something so awful. While in Iceland, another girl, Asa, goes missing and Agnes is pulled into that investigation as well. This was an interesting and complex story, it held my interest and I couldn’t predict how it was going to play out. I was really pleased with the ending, knowing that Agnes was finally going to attempt to find happiness by starting her life over with someone new. I’d like to thank Stephen Erickson, Marketing Manager @ St. Martin’s Publishing Group (Minotaur Books) for inviting me to read an early copy and NetGalley for the arc. This was my first time reading this author and I’d be very interested in reading more of her work in the future. I’m rating this story at 4 stars.

I had a lot of high hopes for this book since it was taking a true crime podcast point of view of a cold case in Iceland. But in the end, the podcast storyline became a side story the personal struggles of the main character, Agnes. Agnes's story was kind of boring to me and just dragged out! The twist was ok but kind of saw it coming.

ARC REVIEW (1/14): the lost house by melissa larsen ❄️ a mesmerizing story of a young woman with a haunting past who returns to her ancestral home in Iceland to investigate a gruesome murder in her family.

I loved the dark setting and how it added to the harsh iceland ambience! many dark themes were explored so check triggers before diving in! if you’re on the hunt for a mystery to read while snowed in, this is the one for you as it’s not too frightening.

there was a podcast element that hooks you right away but I think I would’ve enjoyed this mystery more if it was told from the podcast host, nora! I was never sure of her motives so diving a bit deeper into that element would’ve been interesting🧣

despite the captivating writing, it did get a bit slow at times which was a bummer. SO much time was lost listening to the fmc, agnes, abuse her body & pop pills that it took me out of the story.

I hope I haunt you 👀 thank you macmillan audio & st. martin's press for the early copies 🎧 3 stars!

The story centers around a decades-old mystery in Iceland, where a mother and her baby are discovered buried in the snow. The mother’s throat has been slashed, and the baby drowned. The initial assumption is that the husband was responsible, especially since it’s often the most obvious suspect, and when he fled to California with their surviving son, it seemed like a done deal.

Now, a year after the man’s death, his granddaughter Agnes is on a mission to clear his name. Still recovering from a serious injury, she heads to Bifrost, Iceland, to participate in an interview for Nora Carver’s podcast. But shortly after Agnes arrives, a local girl goes missing, throwing the town into further turmoil.

This is one of those rare cases where I figured out the culprit right away. While the book had an interesting premise, it ended up feeling slow and at times tedious. Much of the action revolves around Agnes’s inner thoughts, which made the plot feel stagnant. The setting was fantastic, and the book wasn’t bad, but it didn’t quite capture my attention the way I hoped.

DNF, too slow, flat characters and I found myself not wanting to read it. That’s not a good sign. I’ve decided this year that if I’m not hooked by the second chapter I’m done.

💥 Pub Date: 1/14/2025

⭐️⭐️⭐️.5/5

• Nordic noir mystery
• chilling atmosphere
• unique characters

I found this to be more of a slow burn. It was a little too repetitive in parts, but the ending definitely paid off. The audio narrator really brought the story to life, and it was nice to know how to pronounce some of those Icelandic words!

🗣 Thank you to netgalley, St. Martin's Press, and macmillan.audio for the opportunity to read and review this book via both gifted eARC and audio! All opinions are honest and my own.

The Frozen Madonna and Child: a true crime podcast hosted by Nora Carver of The End. Forty years ago in Bifröst, Iceland, a young mother was found dead in the snow holding her infant daughter. Her throat had been cut and the baby drowned. The husband was the obvious suspect but he had an alibi. With the suspicion of the small town hanging over him, he eventually fled to California with his nine-year-old son, Magnus.

Now Agnes Glin, the granddaughter of Einar Pálsson, the suspected murderer, has come to Iceland to take part in Nora's podcast, hopefully to prove Einar's innocence. Agnes has had a bad year herself: her beloved grandfather has died, she's broken up with her girlfriend, she's recovering from a serious accident which wrecked both her knee and ankle and in the process of recovery, she's become addicted to opioids. Her father, Magnus, is furious with her for taking part in the program, thinking that the truth when uncovered will only bring shame to their family.

Upon arriving in Bifröst, Agnes learns that a young woman named Ása has gone missing after a party in the old farmhouse where Einar and his wife had lived and Nora's interest has shifted to include that crime as well. The townspeople are searching for her but...

As always with novels set in Iceland, the novel is dark and atmospheric with the weather and landscape being a big part of the story. I enjoyed spending some time there with these interesting if flawed characters. The story has a slow buildup to an absolutely riveting ending.

Many thanks to the author and publisher for providing me with an arc of this new mystery. My review is voluntary; the opinions expressed are my own.